Bend Don’t Break
Have you ever looked close at the results of a powerful storm? Much of the destruction of trees are due to poor root system but also its inability to be flexible during the beating. When the winds howl, the rain pounds, lighting strikes and eventually, the mighty oak can snap under pressure. However, oftentimes trees like the American Beech or Holly tree will sway with the wind, yielding but never breaking. And when the storm passes they still stand resilient and unshaken.
Men are often taught to be like the oak—unyielding, rigid, and strong. But true strength lies in adaptability. Flexibility and an ability to respond not react. Emotional flexibility is a key predictor of mental health and resilience. In fact, one’s tolerance of carbon dioxide in the body directly correlates to their ability to tolerate the challenges and struggles that life throws at them. Those who can adjust their responses to stress are less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.
In the Rewired Coaching 90 Day Program, we emphasize breathwork as a tool to cultivate this flexibility. The ability to slow your breath in moments of tension rewires your nervous system, shifting you from a reactive state to a responsive one. This is the difference between snapping under pressure and bending with grace.
Try this daily practice to improve your carbon dioxide tolerance:
Find a comfortable space sitting with back support or lying down
Breathe in, forcing the belly out slightly and exhale
Repeat five times and gradually breathe in more air and push your belly further out
Continue with the six inhale, pushing the belly out as before and extend the inhale up into the chest, then exhale letting all the air out.
Repeat five times and on the final exhale, hold at the bottom.
Let the CO2 build up for as long as you can, then inhale, hold at the top for as long as you can
Repeat this exercise 3-5 times
The world will test you. Challenges will come. Will you be the oak that breaks or the reed that bends and survives? Flexibility is not weakness—it’s the ultimate form of strength.